Gov’t. Opens 1st Service Center In Bassa

In an effort to buttress its decentralization program in the country, the Government of Liberia has opened the first County Service Center in Grand Bassa County.

The County Service Center (CSC) is a one-stop service center where ministries, agencies and commissions (MACs) will provide their specialized services relating to documentations, permits, certificates and licenses.

The goal of the Liberian Government is to have the County Service Center in all of the fifteen sub-divisions of Liberia. It is also going to be establishing incrementally until all the 15 counties are covered. The first County Service Center was on Tuesday launched in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

According to Internal Affairs Minister, Morris Dukuly, the CSC will be a collaboration of identified MACs mandated to provide specific services in the center under the coordination of the County Superintendent.

Minister Dukuly disclosed that no fees will be charged for the services and that no other charges will be added for services rendered in the various counties.

Also speaking, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai described the opening of the County Service Center in Grand Bassa as another milestone in the journey to taking government closer to the people. Veep Boakai said the opening of the CSC clearly underscores government’s seriousness in its vision of decentralizing the governance system of the country.

The Liberian Vice President added that from the onset of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration, they have shared government’s vision of moving services from Monrovia to register their vehicles and get driver licenses.

“For so long, the lot of our people had to travel through bad roads, sometimes for many days, especially during the rainy season, just to encash checks in Monrovia. Now here we are today ushering in the beginning of the end of that story. Indeed, this is nothing short of a remarkable day. And I can guarantee you that we will not rest until every county has a service center that provides residents of that county with certain basic services so that most of our people are no longer compelled to struggle to go to Monrovia for everything,” Veep Boakia noted.

He further said, “Today we open the very first of the County Service Center in this county here, in Buchanan. The center will oversee the processing and issuance of many Government documents, including traditional marriage licenses, herbalist certificates, the business registry, ECOWAS work permits, birth certificates for children up to the age of 13 years, zoning and land use permits and license.”Veep Boakai assured the citizens that the services they receive in any given leeward county will be of the same quality as would in Monrovia. “And this brings you our Superintendents, to the center stage. We urge you to ensure that needed services are provided on a continuous basis. You and your team must work to prevent any break in service or compromise in quality, which arise from shortcomings in planning and communication,” Vice President Boakai among other things added.